After spending untold hours trying to get a smooth finish on a plug for a
mold, I'm looking for alternatives, such as using stretch or shrink wrap
over the plug. Here's my plan:

I have some 18"wide furniture wrap which is like big, tough saran wrap.
I'll stretch it over the sections it will cover and tape it down smooth,
then mold over it. Then I will the wrap over other sections, and lay the
first molded sections on top, and join the whole mold together.

What I would really like is some heat shrink film that would allow me to
iron out any wrinkles or cover steep complex curves.


Any experience trying such a thing?

--
Robert Haston
Satellite Beach, FL

Robert Hanson says:

After spending untold hours trying to get a smooth finish on a plug for a
mold, I'm looking for alternatives, such as using stretch or shrink wrap
over the plug.

In mould-making, there are two ways to do it. The hard, but right, way - and
the easy way that will give you a finish you will hate forever.
Sad but true.

Steve

"Robert Haston" writes:

After spending untold hours trying to get a smooth finish on a plug for a
mold, I'm looking for alternatives, such as using stretch or shrink wrap
over the plug.
snip

There is the right way and no way.

My suggestion is to keep working the long board.

When your arms feel like they are ready to drop off, you're just getting
started.G

Been there, done that.

HTH


--
Lew

S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett for Pictures

On Wed, 14 Jul 2004 16:39:37 GMT, "Robert Haston"
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

To expand on the other (correct) replies, you will get too much
distortion and waviness with what you are suggesting.

After spending untold hours trying to get a smooth finish on a plug for a
mold, I'm looking for alternatives, such as using stretch or shrink wrap
over the plug. Here's my plan:

I have some 18"wide furniture wrap which is like big, tough saran wrap.
I'll stretch it over the sections it will cover and tape it down smooth,
then mold over it. Then I will the wrap over other sections, and lay the
first molded sections on top, and join the whole mold together.

What I would really like is some heat shrink film that would allow me to
iron out any wrinkles or cover steep complex curves.


Any experience trying such a thing?

Here's a simple truth.

Go to a custom boat builder. Ask them if you can look at the work going
on in the shop. Often all you have to do is look in the door.

If there was a simple way to do it, they would do it. I'll bet you
won't see any shrink wrap.

As I once was told about fiberglass mold making, "You get what you got",
meaning you have to have a smooth, fair surface to get a smooth, fair
surface.

I was discussing wood finish with an old timer. I asked him why the
worst looking boat finishes are done by people who use certain products
that are billed as "the easy way". He told me that people who look for
the easy way do lousy work.

"Cetol" (I had to say it)

Jim



Robert Haston wrote:

After spending untold hours trying to get a smooth finish on a plug for a
mold, I'm looking for alternatives, such as using stretch or shrink wrap
over the plug. Here's my plan:

I have some 18"wide furniture wrap which is like big, tough saran wrap.
I'll stretch it over the sections it will cover and tape it down smooth,
then mold over it. Then I will the wrap over other sections, and lay the
first molded sections on top, and join the whole mold together.

What I would really like is some heat shrink film that would allow me to
iron out any wrinkles or cover steep complex curves.


Any experience trying such a thing?